


SoulShine

by TattooedNurse



Category: Daredevil (TV), Marvel Cinematic Universe
Genre: ...duh, Empath!Reader, Explicit Language, F/M, Jessica Jones is a Good Bro, Natasha Romanov Is a Good Bro, Powered!reader - Freeform, Reader-Insert, this one got away from me a bit, was supposed to be a short little oneshot
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-10-10
Updated: 2018-10-28
Packaged: 2019-07-28 23:22:33
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 4,485
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16251896
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/TattooedNurse/pseuds/TattooedNurse
Summary: You (Jo) have the ability to see peoples auras/souls. After going on the run from the people that experimented on you and gave you your powers, you end up in Hell's Kitchen.Ch 1A friend helps you move out after you find out your boyfriend is cheating. After a night of drinking and talking you bump into someone while running errands.





	1. Ch 1

**Author's Note:**

> So, I started writing this for a Tumblr challenge - @startrekkingaroundasgard ’s 3K writing challenge. I sat down with something entirely different in mind, and this behemoth is what came out. The dialog prompt was “Find someone who looks at you the same way Clint looks at his coffee.”

             Jessica poured whiskey into her mug and slid the bottle toward you. You set a bottle of beer next to her mug, and a paper plate piled with pizza in front of her. “You know I don’t mind you drinking my whiskey, Jess. As long as you eat a bit… and maybe use the beer to help you pace yourself?”

 

             She rolled her eyes at you. “Yeah, yeah. Jo, I helped you move your _entire apartment_ in one day… less lectures and more whiskey.”

 

             You shook your head, smiling. Your new name wasn’t really ‘new’ anymore. It still felt odd sometimes though, despite the fact that you’d been using it for years.  Surprisingly, nicknames helped. You’d chosen Johanna as your new first name. it was from a Bob Dylan song that reminded you of happier times. Your new last name, Patrick, was the name of the cathedral that had been your refuge from the rain on your first day in the city. It was beautiful and had been the first place in a while that you felt a modicum of safety. So, now you were Johanna Patrick. Or, especially where Jessica was concerned, Jo.

 

Your new place may have been small but was plenty of space for you. You tended to travel light. It was just one large room, the kitchen area taking up one corner. That, plus a decent sized bathroom and a miniscule closet, was it. You had put your ‘living room’ boxes in the corner across from the kitchen. You would need to find a couch. You donated your secondhand one when you moved in with the ex. You put your bed in the corner that was opposite the kitchen diagonally. It was also right next to the bathroom, which you counted as a bonus. The last corner had your boxes of books. You’d probably figure out some way to divide up the space a bit, but for now it worked. Looking around again, you sighed.

 

“I really appreciate your help, Jess. I didn’t want to stay there another minute. What a fucking waste. Almost two years,” you snapped your fingers. “At least I only moved in three months ago, so most of my shit was still in boxes.”

 

             Jessica chuckled. “That’s one way to look at it.” She looked at you and her voice softened. “Seriously, he was never good enough for you.”

 

             “Which makes sense, with the cheating he was doing and all,” you sighed, pouring some whiskey into a mug for yourself. You felt her concern brush against you like a touch. _Damn_ , you must be distracted… you hadn’t realized your wall had slipped, you were in the habit of keeping it up all the time. You had the (sometimes unfortunate) ability to feel other people’s emotions. It was always accompanied by a physical feeling, which made it easier to distinguish from your own feelings.

 

Your power also let you see a light around people. You knew if you looked at Jess with your wall down, you’d see her ‘aura’ – for lack of a better term, shining bright. You liked to think of it as soulshine… the light radiating out of a person’s soul. ‘Soul’ tended to be a touchy term for people though, so ‘aura’ worked in a pinch. You could see the shine even with your walls up, but they were _so_ much brighter with the walls down. It was beautiful.

 

             Jessica’s soulshine was brighter than she would probably expect. It started out like a storm cloud, gray and almost vibrating with the potential for chaos… wisps of a deep purple blended with the gray before almost seamlessly becoming the reddish pink that surrounded her. Silver streaks shot out from her like lightening, reaching all the way to the edges of the gray. It was beautiful. A storm at dawn.

 

Even if you didn’t know Jessica, her shine would show you that she cared. She cared deeply, despite her frequent denial of feeling… anything. You made sure your wall was back in place before you returned your gaze to Jess. You didn’t want to invade her privacy any more than you had to… one of the little quirks of your power was the ability to detect lies by changes in the shine. You tried to ignore it mostly, but sometimes it happened even with your wall up.

 

             You sighed and lifted your mug up toward Jess in a lazy toast before taking a long drink.

 

Jessica gave you a halfhearted smile, obviously trying to comfort you. “The offer to break something of his… possessions, bones, whatever… it still stands.”

 

             Your lips twitched. “Thanks Jess. I’ll think about it. Feels wrong to ask for anything after you did the all heavy lifting today… literally.”

 

             “Eh,” she shrugged. “One of the few perks of a friend with super strength.”

 

             “Don’t make me compile a list again. You know I will… and there are _way_ more than a few ‘perks’ of your friendship… super strength or no.”

 

             “Oh god, please don’t,” Jessica put her hands over her ears. “I take it back.”

 

             You smiled at her. “Fine, you’re safe from my longwinded declaration of friendship… this time.”

 

             She smirked, hearing the well-meaning threat in your words. You both stayed silent as you ate, but it was comfortable. You and Jessica had always had this ability. To enjoy the company and comfort of another person, without needing to fill it. She would occasionally give into your requests for a nap-buddy to cuddle with. She swore you to secrecy, but she did it. And you both slept better than you did alone. You were wondering if you could convince her to stay the night and snuggle when she spoke again.

 

             “You’ll get over this guy and you’ll move on. You know that, right?” Jess asked, watching you.

 

             “Sure. You going to hit me with some relationship advice? I still say Natasha’s advice was the best I’ve heard, but you’re welcome to try,” you replied, leaning toward her with your chin on your hand. You had met Natasha years ago, before she joined the Avengers. Before a lot of things. She and Clint had helped you escape. They had raided the facility where you were kept. The experiments done there had created your powers… or unlocked them… something. You tried not to think about it much. But you kept in touch with your personal heroes.

 

             “What was her advice, again? Something about coffee?”

 

              “It was after that chic I dated,” you replied, rolling your eyes. “The one with the motorcycle?”

 

             Jessica nodded. “I think I remember you telling me about her. Sticky fingers?”

 

             “Yeah. It was… well I lost the few possessions I had, along with quite a bit of cash.” You sighed, shaking your head. “Anyway. Nat was sitting with me… it was mid-morning and we were having coffee. We were hungover from a night of drinking – not unlike what we’re doing now. Natasha looks at me straight-faced and says… ‘ **Find someone who looks at you the same way Clint looks at his coffee.** ’ And I turned, following her stare to Clint, who was perched on the counter _gazing_ at his coffee like it was the most wonderous thing in the universe. I love coffee, but this went beyond love. Absolute awe and devotion. Seriously. We both laughed, startling him, but I knew she was right. I wanted that. Haven’t found it yet… but that is definitely my goal.”

 

             Jessica laughed. “Well, I don’t have anything that profound.” She shook her head. “I reserve the right to modify or change this advice, but here goes… Find someone that you can show the broken pieces. If they stay, if they don’t mind the sharp edges, it’s real.”

 

             You watched as she took a deep breath and let it out. “That’s good advice, Jess,” you said softly. Then, feeling the need to lighten the situation, you smiled. “Want to stay the night? I could _really_ use some friend snuggles tonight.”

 

             She rolled her eyes, but her lips twitched, and you knew you had her. You did a mental happy dance.

 

             “Alright, I’ll stay. You still have more whiskey. And speaking of the advice Natasha gave you…” she paused, giving you her mischievous squint. “I think I have someone you should meet,” she grinned, looking way too much like that cat that got the canary. When you started to protest she raised her hands. “Not now, not even soon… but eventually. Humor me?”

 

             “I guess I can do that. But don’t expect it to be anytime soon.”

 

             “Even if you don’t feel a spark, I think you’d end up with a friend, and _you_ can’t have too many of those.”

 

             You nodded. “Okay, so who is this friend?”

 

             “Well, you’re going to laugh, but he’s a lawyer,” she explained, and when she saw the look on your face _she_ laughed. “But he’s like a unicorn or something, he’s a good person _and_ a lawyer. He does a lot of pro-bono work. He’s actually helped me out before. And I would work with him if he needed me… and I wouldn’t even expect my usual fee.”

 

             You nodded, smirking. “I know how much that means coming from you. I already agreed to meet him, this nameless unicorn. You don’t have to keep selling. I know you get that I need some time.”

 

             Jessica sighed. “I know, it just hit me that you should meet him, and I’m kicking myself for not thinking of it sooner, that’s all.”

 

             “Yeah, yeah. So… bed?”

 

             Jessica stood with a sigh. “Only if we can bring the bottle,” she said, picking it up. She tilted her head. “And you aren’t allowed to steal all the covers.”

 

***

 

             When Jessica shuffled to the front door, she did it with the mug that held whisky last night full of doctored coffee. She shoved her sunglasses onto her face before grabbing her bag and mumbling that she’d see you later. The door shut behind her and not a minute later it reopened to her glaring at you. “I know you’re hungover, but lock this behind me.”

 

             You gave her a sloppy salute, dragging yourself out of bed and pushing the door shut behind her, repeating your goodbyes. You locked up and turned to the kitchen. Coffee. You needed coffee. You leaned against the counter, taking a small sip. You looked around the apartment and sighed. So much to do. You finished your first cup of coffee, planning your day in your head. After you poured your second cup you started unpacking.

 

             The progress wasn’t quick, but you weren’t in the best shape. When you had things more organized you repacked a couple boxes with stuff to donate. You closed them up and set them by the door before going to take a shower. Luckily the shower was large enough that the lack of curtain wasn’t an issue. You looked at the separate tub longingly. It was an old iron clawfoot tub that could fit two, possible three of you in it. It was what sold the apartment for you. You needed that tub. But no time to soak now, you had stuff to do.

 

You dried off quickly before pulling your hair up. Your jeans and a worn cotton band shirt weren’t the height of fashion, but they were comfortable. You noticed that your socks didn’t match. Eh, your boots wouldn’t complain. You grabbed your bag and lifted the boxes. It was a juggle to get the door locked, but you managed.

 

              The street was busy, but not abnormally so. You tried to focus as you moved down the street balancing the boxes. You had managed pretty well the first couple blocks…

 

             “Oh! Fuckity fuck,” you looked down at the box you dropped, _of course_ it split. Fuck. You set the box you hadn’t dropped next to the broken one. You knew you should just pick it up and keep moving. You had shit to do. Instead you were looking down at the broken box and feeling sorry for yourself.

 

A chuckle broke into your pity party. You looked up at the man – the very handsome man – you had run into. He was smiling. “Did you… did you just say fuckity fuck?”

 

You blushed. “Uh, yeah. Shit. Sorry about that… and, uh, you know, running into you.”

 

“With colorful language like that, you’re welcome to bump into me anytime. No harm done, anyway,” his grin lit up his face.

 

You really _looked_ at him. His soulshine was a beautiful red that surrounded him, with veins silver streaking through it. The red radiated out from him, bleeding into an orangey-yellow before turning into a greenish teal, and finally, furthest from him, a bright blue. His colors had more differentiation than most did. And the silver? He must have abilities or powers of some kind. At least that’s usually what the silver meant. You noticed his cane. Maybe the silver had to do with his blindness, instead? You were unsure. The layers of color were intriguing. You realized you had been staring at him and you shook yourself.

 

“I’m happy to dazzle you with my creative cursing anytime, no collisions necessary,” you replied, smiling up at him. “But I really should get these boxes to the women’s shelter before the broken one totally collapses.”

 

The man smiled at you. “Do you need help with that?”

 

You started to shake your head but stopped short. “No, it’s okay. I think I can manage. They aren’t that heavy. Thank you…”

 

“Matt. Murdock,” he introduced himself, holding out his hand.

 

“Well, Matt Murdock,” you replied, placing your hand in his. “I’m Johanna Patrick. Pleasure running into you.” You looked to your hand before pulling it back. His touch was warm, but it made your skin dance. It felt almost electric… and the feeling lingered, making you blush.

 

“Pleasure is all mine,” Matt replied softly. He really shouldn’t be saying pleasure… it was _way_ too naughty. He stiffened just before you heard another voice.

 

“How do you always find the hot girls, Matt?” a man asked, walking up to the two of you. “I’m Foggy, Foggy Nelson.”

 

You looked from Matt’s mildly perturbed expression to Foggy’s friendly one. “I’m Johanna. Friends usually just call me Jo.” Foggy’s shine was a swirl of yellow, green, and blue. His colors all blended together in a pretty glow.

 

“Very nice to meet you, Jo. You ready, Matt? We have that meeting.”

 

“Sorry I kept you, Matt,” you said, lifting the broken box gingerly from the ground and setting it on top of the other one. “It was nice to meet you… both of you. Maybe I’ll bump into you again sometime.”

 

“I’d like that, Jo,” Matt replied. His voice saying your name gave you goose bumps.

 

Fuck. You were fresh out of a train wreck of a relationship. Now was _not_ the time. At all.

 

You nodded at Foggy and mumbled one last ‘bye’ to Matt before making your way toward the shelter.

 

 

***

 

             Matt stood unmoving until you turned the corner. Why would you lie about your name? It was just a minor increase in your heartrate and at first, he had almost put it down – admittedly hopeful – to attraction. Then it happened again, the same increase, when you introduced yourself to Foggy. Matt was intrigued by you. You seemed so genuine, so nice. He had enjoyed flirting with you. He didn’t need more trouble… especially of the relationship variety, but still…

 

             “Earth to Matt, come in Matt.”

 

             “I’m right here, Foggy,” Matt replied, turning to face his friend. “She… she lied about her name. Why would she do that?”

 

             Foggy sighed. “Maybe because she’s a woman alone on the streets of Hell’s Kitchen talking to a stranger?”

 

             Matt nodded absentmindedly. “Maybe.”

 

             “Come on, we don’t want to be late.”

 

             Matt walked with Foggy, his mind still on the mystery woman… ‘Jo’.  


	2. Ch 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Lunch with Jessica, and another random meeting.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Okay, so I originally posted Ch 1 as a one shot. I kind of wanted to extend it, but with two other series I was hesitant to start a third. Well, now I've officially started a third series. 
> 
> Like with any of my series, I can't promise regular updates. Respiratory season is in full swing and work has been crazy. It's been taking me longer to recover from the work week than usual. And being drained has made it difficult to summon the muse. 
> 
> I hope y'all like this chapter, a bit of filler, but we are moving things forward. Thank you for your kudos and comments on the first chapter. Feedback feeds the muse. <3

             “So, not that I’m complaining, but how are you able to treat me to lunch? Did one of your… what is it now, three? Did one of your three ‘part time/low commitment’ jobs give you a raise?”

 

             You dropped your menu low enough to roll your eyes at Jessica before continuing to read it.  “Actually, if you must know, Clint had a friend that needed a favor. I see that look, and no, it wasn’t _that_ kind of favor. Just needed a read on someone. I didn’t break my rules, and it paid quite well. Win-win,” you finished, shrugging. “And it’s not like you can talk about low commitment jobs, what with the string of them that you had before the P.I. thing,” you added, eyebrows raised.                    

 

             You were finally starting to feel settled in your new place You had a couple easy part time gigs, and the ‘favor’ had not only allowed you to pay your rent up front for the next few months but add a bit to your savings as well. And in your free time you had been able to see Jessica a bit more frequently since you were no longer with your ex (whom she referred to as ‘dickhead’). You knew she was having a difficult time, not that she’d admit it, so you offered to treat her to lunch.

 

             “Which bar are you working at again? Maybe I’ll stop by for a drink.”

 

             “I’d love that, as long as you don’t put anyone through a wall,” you smirked. “It’s called Josie’s.”

  

             “I’m not promising anything. People are assholes. One of the reasons I drink alone.”

 

             “Okay, well can we at least agree to ignore the asshole behavior unless it’s physical? I like this bar. The woman that owns it doesn’t take any shit. And there’s no dress code – unofficial or otherwise.”

 

             “Whatever.”

 

***

 

             “Holy fuck nugget!” you muttered, keeping the three bottles of beer you were carrying steady, so they wouldn’t spill. Josie had pointed you to the pool table where you could see a strawberry blonde woman leaning on her pool cue while a guy with longish blonde hair that had his back to you leaned to make a shot. You had been on your way to deliver their drinks when someone had come around the corner from the bathroom and bumped into you.

 

             “Personally, I prefer ‘fuckity fuck’ if I’m being honest.”

 

             You looked up to see the same man you had _literally_ run into on the street. Over the last few weeks you had thought about him quite a bit… wondering if you would see him again. Thinking of his little smirk. The flirting. It was hard to admit, but you had actually been hoping to see him again. You couldn’t keep the smile from your face. “We have to quit meeting like this.”

 

             “I think the meeting part is nice.” Matt paused, leaning in a bit. “I’m willing to work on the bumping into each other part if you are,” he added, a smirk curving his mouth.

 

             You were still distracted by his lips when you were interrupted. Again. “Matt, what have I told you… wait, I know you. How do I know you?”

 

             “Foggy, this is Jo. Remember, I bumped into her on the street…”

 

             “Oh yeah! Good to see you again. Even better that you have drinks!”

 

             You shook yourself slightly and handed Foggy the beers, watching as he handed one to the woman behind him, and then the other to Matt, before sipping his own. You noticed the woman was watching you curiously. “Hi, I’m Jo. Not only do I work here, but I met Matt and Foggy a few weeks back when I wasn’t paying attention and ran into Matt. Literally,” you took a breath, hoping to stop your ramble.

 

             “Hi! I’m Karen. It’s nice to meet you,” she replied, grinning. Her shine was dancing with energy. It was a beautiful vivid orange with splashes of pink and a bit of red. The orange darkened and muddied where it touched her, and you wondered what caused it. But her secrets were hers. You returned her grin.

 

             “Likewise. Well, y’all enjoy your drinks, I need to get back,” you gestured to the bar. Foggy nodded and Karen gave you a small wave before they turned their attention back to the pool table. You looked at Matt. “It really was nice to see you again, Matt,” you said softly, hoping he could hear you over the noise in the bar. You gave his arm a squeeze and turned to head back to the bar. You felt his hand catch yours and you stopped, turning back to him.

 

             “Maybe we could… meet up intentionally next time?” he asked, his thumb brushing back and forth lightly on your hand.

 

             “I’d like that,” you slid your cellphone out of your pocket with the hand Matt wasn’t holding. “Want to give me your number?”

 

             He recited it and you entered it into your contacts, then you sent him a quick text. “There, now you have mine, too,” you smiled, giving his hand a squeeze. “Now I really need to get back to work.”

 

             “Of course,” Matt replied, giving your hand a squeeze in return before letting you go. “I’ll call you.”

 

             You grinned, leaning close. “Can’t wait,” you whispered. You turned and quickly made your way back to the bar, seeing Josie watching you.

 

             “You know those three?”

 

             “A bit,” you replied, gauging her reaction. “Sorry, I’ll keep socializing to a minimum.”

 

             Josie studied you. “It’s fine unless were busy.” With that she turned and headed to the back.

 

***

 

             “Nice one,” Foggy grinned, moving to stand next to Matt. “You got her number?”

 

             “Yeah,” Matt mumbled, feeling his cheeks warm. “I’m hesitant… the name thing. It happened again when she introduced herself to Karen. But I’d like to get to know her. She’s…”

 

             “Hot? Nice? Not homicidal?” Foggy guessed, rolling his eyes a bit.

 

             “Intriguing. I was going to say intriguing,” Matt said as Karen walked over to them.

 

             “She seems nice, Matt,” Karen said, smile evident in her voice.

 

             “Not you, too, Karen,” Matt groaned. “Yes, she seems nice. And I’m going to call her. Can we talk about something else now? I miss you two. It’s been a while since we’ve all be able to get together.”

 

             “Fine, fine,” Foggy conceded, moving to the pool table and lining up his shot.

 

             Matt smiled as he heard his friends bicker back and forth over the game. He hadn’t been paying attention early when he was coming around the corner. He had smelled the faint scent of vanilla and coconut… common enough on their own, but with the addition of pineapple it had immediately reminded him of you. When you bumped into him that day on the road he had noticed the soft, vaguely tropical combination. He had wondered about your shampoo. Then smelling it mingling with all the other smells of the bar had distracted him enough that he had run into you. He hadn’t wanted to let you go. There was something about you. He wanted to steal you away. Talk to you. Learn about you. Make you smile. He realized he should know better than to let himself get carried away. His track recorded sucked. But maybe you’d be different. He couldn’t help but hope you would be. Still, he’d be careful.

 

             “This doesn’t seem like the kind of place lawyers would frequent.”

 

             Matt turned, his lips twitching. “Jessica Jones. It’s been a while. Foggy and I have been coming here for years, Josie took pity on us and wasn’t strict about tab repayment. This place kinda became like home away from home. Anyway, how have you been doing?”

 

             “Eh, no weird secret organizations have tried to kill me lately, so that’s a plus,” Jessica looked toward the bar where you were pouring drinks. “A friend of mine actually just started working here. She invited me to stop by for a drink as long as I don’t start any brawls,” Jessica shrugged. “I said I would do my best. She tends to frown on violence… unless it’s in defense, then it gets a pass.”

 

             “Sounds like your friend just wants to keep you out of trouble,” Matt replied, fighting a smile. “Guessing she doesn’t realize what a full-time job that can be.”

 

             “Hey, I’ve gotten way better about keeping myself out of trouble. I didn’t even throttle her ex, who _totally_ deserved it. I tried to convince her that a broken bone for every time he cheated would be fair, but she wouldn’t take me up on it,” Jessica sighed. “If you’re here all the time I wonder if you’ve met her. I actually mentioned you to her a while back. I think you guys would get along.”

 

             “Really,” Matt paused, his brain connecting the dots. Shit, it couldn’t be, could it? “What’s her name?”

 

             “Johanna… she usually just goes by Jo.”

 

             Matt smirked. It was her. And Jessica’s heartrate didn’t change. So maybe Matt was overacting? That, or Jo was keeping secrets from her friend as well. “We’ve… we’ve actually met. Twice. We seem to have a habit of bumping into each other.”

 

             “With _your_ reflexes? That’s surprising. Well, I guess I don’t need to introduce you after all.”

 

             Matt nodded, distracted. He was trying to put what Jessica said about Jo’s ex out of his head. He couldn’t help but agree with her about him needing some payback. And broken bones. He blinked, returning his attention to Jessica. “I’m not opposed to meeting her a third time, but no, I guess an introduction isn’t necessary at this point. Can I buy you a drink?”

 

             “Why not. I never turn down whiskey.”

 

***

 

             You turned from setting change in front of a customer to see Matt approaching the bar… with Jessica. They knew each other? Huh. “Hey Jess. Matt. Y’all know each other?”

 

             Jessica smirked. “Yeah. Matt’s the unicorn I was telling you about.”

 

             “Unicorn?” Matt asked, his brows drawn in confusion.

 

             “Oh! Wow. That’s… wow. Yeah. Jessica was telling me about a lawyer, that was also a good person, who she trusted. We dubbed him – you – the unicorn. Extremely rare and all,” you explained, watching Matt’s lips twitch.

 

             “I’ll take that as a compliment.”

 

             “It was meant as one,” you said, smiling as you turned to Jess. “Jessica, I’m guessing you want a whisky?”

 

             “Yeah, Matt offered to buy me one.”

 

             “That was nice of you,” you said turning to Matt. “Another beer?”

 

             “Sure. Let me go ahead and get another round for Foggy and Karen, too.”

 

             “Comin’ right up.”

 

             Matt thanked you when you brought the drinks. Jessica gave you a pointed look before she and Matt rejoined the others at the pool table, so you could get back to work. Yeah, she was going to want details later. You watched them pass out the drinks before turning to another customer. Work. You needed to focus on work.

 


End file.
